European Robin
The European Robin
Conservation status
Least Concern [1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Muscicapidae
Genus:	Erithacus
Species:	E. rubecula
Binomial name
Erithacus rubecula (Linnaeus, 1758)

The European Robin (Erithacus rubecula) is a small passerine bird that was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family, but is now considered to be an Old World flycatcher, Muscicapidae. European Robins and similar small European species are often called chats.

The European Robin is a common European songbird. It is 12.5 - 14.0 cm (5.0 - 5.5 inches) long and it is known for its pugnacious behaviour despite its small size. The distinctive red patch on the chest of both sexes led to its original name of redbreast. In the fifteenth century, when it became popular to give human names to familiar species, the bird came to be known as Robin redbreast, which was eventually shortened to robin.^[2]

Robins have a fluting, warbling song in the breeding season. Robins often sing into the evening, and sometimes into the night, leading some to confuse them with the Nightingale. Both males and females sing during the winter, when they hold separate territories, the song then sounding more plaintive than the summer version. The female Robins move a short distance from the summer nesting territory to a nearby territory that is more suitable for winter feeding. Male Robins keep the same territory throughout the year.

Robins build a neat cup nest in crevices, holes or artificial sites such as discarded kettles. When juvenile birds fly from the nests thay are all brown in colour and do not have a red breast. After 2 to 3 months out of the nest, the juvenile birds grow some reddish feathers under their chins and over a further 2 to 3 months this patch gradually extends to complete the adult appearance.

The Robin is well known to British and Irish gardeners: it is relatively unafraid of humans and likes to come close when anyone is digging the soil, in order to look out for earthworms and other food freshly turned up; when the gardener stops for a break the robin will often use the handle of the spade as a lookout point. Robins in continental Europe are more wary. Robins also approach large wild animals, such as wild boar, and other animals which disturb the ground for any food that might be brought to the surface.

Male Robins are noted for their highly aggressive territorial behaviour. They will ruthlessly attack other males that stray into their territories, and have been observed attacking other small birds without apparent provocation. Such attacks sometimes lead to fatalities, an aspect of the birds' behaviour which is at odds with its wholesome, gentle public image.

British Robins are largely resident but a small minority, usually female, migrate to southern Europe during winter and a few of these migrate as far as Spain.

Scandinavian and Russian Robins migrate to Britain and western Europe to escape the harsher winters. These migrants can be recognised by the greyer tone of the upper parts of their bodies and more orange breast.

The "Robin Redbreast" has much folklore surrounding it (especially various explanations as to how it acquired its red front) and has become strongly associated with Christmas, taking a starring role on many a Christmas card. The Robin has also appeared on many Christmas postage stamps.

An old English folk tale seeks to explain the Robin's distinctive red breast. Legend has it that when Jesus was dying on the cross, the Robin, then simply brown in colour, flew to his side and sang into his ear in order to comfort him in his pain. The blood from his wounds stained the Robin's breast, and thereafter all Robins were born with the mark of Christ's blood upon them.

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  Adult
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  Adult
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  Juvenile
• Irish stamp, 1997
  Irish stamp, 1997

• Videos of European Robin at the Internet Bird Collection website

The larger American Robin, Turdus migratorius, is named for its similarity to the European Robin, not because they are closely related. The similarity lies largely in the orange chest patch in both species. This American species was incorrectly shown "feathering its nest" in London in the film Mary Poppins.

In the USA, the Northern Cardinal, often appears on Christmas cards and decorations like the European Robin does in Europe.

The Australian "robin redbreast", more correctly the Scarlet Robin, is more closely related to the crows and jays than it is to the European Robin.

• ARKive - images and movies of the robin (Erithacus rubecula)
• http://www.rspb.org.uk/birds/guide/r/robin/index.asp
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/wildfacts/factfiles/253.shtml
• http://www.birdsofbritain.co.uk/bird-guide/robin.htm
• http://www.digidylan.co.uk/pics_robin/robin_index.php

Listen to the robin at http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/programmes/radio/dawn_chorus/video/robin_song.ram

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